Folding door assembly and mounting units therefor



July 9, 1968 b. A. KIRBY 3,391,723

FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING UNITS THEREFOR Filed June 21, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HI". m r

Charles HKirby H I vs r BY N NTJP July 9, 1968 c. A. KIRBY 3,391,723

FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING UNITS THEREFOR Filed June 21, 1966 '2 Sheets-Sheet a United States Patent 3,391,723 FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING UNITS THEREFOR Charles A. Kirby, Gig Harbor, Wasln, assiguor to Allied Building Components, Inc, Tacoma, Wash., a corporation of Washington Filed June 21, 1966, Ser. No. 559,291 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-266) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lower mounting unit for supporting the inner panel of a folding door includes a support block adjustable relative to a guideway and having a pair of spaced arms oppositely notched top and bottom. The guideway is open at its inner end to allow extension of the arms so that a pair of said units may be placed back to back with the arm notches overlapping each other.

This invention relates to folding door assemblies of the class comprising two or more vertically arranged panels hinged together and pivotally supported in the doorway, and to mounting units therefor.

Broadly, the present invention provides, for a folding door assembly, an adjustable lower mounting unit which may be employed in pairs, arranged back to back, for pivotally supporting adjacent inner door panels spanning doorways of substantial width.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a folding door assembly which may be spaced easily and accurately from the supporting framework to insure proper operation; which may be installed in edgewise aligned relation with a similar assembly in spanning doorways of large area; which is fast and easy to install; which is adjustable both in horizontal and vertical directions without demounting, initially and during use; which operates smoothly, easily and quietly; which is removable from the doorway at will, either partially or entirely at any time and without disassembly; and which may be installed with a minimum of difficulty by the do-it yourself home owner.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a doorway of large area having two of the herein described folding door assemblies mounted therein in edge to edge aligned relation;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, sectional view of the stationary lower pivotal mounting unit for the folding door assembly;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are detail, transverse sectional views taken along lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively of FIG. 2 and further illustrating the lower mounting unit;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view in side elevation, partly broken away, showing the manner in which the lower mounting units may be arranged back to back in the installation of dual folding door assemblies in doorways of large area, as in the doorway of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are detail views in perspective further illustrating the manner of employing the lower mounting units back to back in the manner of FIGS. 1 and 5;

FIG. 8 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of the stationary upper pivotal mounting unit of the herein described folding door assembly, partly in section to show the interior construction;

'FIGS. 9 and 10 are detail transverse sectional views taken along lines 9--9 and 10- 10, respectively of FIG. 8; and

FIG, 11 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of the upper traveling mounting unit of the herein described folding door assembly.

The folding door assembly The folding door assembly of my invention is adapted to be mounted in a doorway defined by side jambs 20, a head piece 22 and a floor 24. A track 26 is fastened to the head piece longitudinally thereof.

Track 26 comprises a channel-shaped member having parallel, coplanar ribs 28 extending inwardly from its opposite side walls. It is fastened to the head piece by suitable means, as by means of adhesive tape 30.

Flanges 28 of track 26 do not support the door, but shield the guiding assembly thereof. In addition they provide surfaces to which the upperstationary mounting assemblies of the door may be clamped in a desired location, as will appear hereinafter.

The door itself comprises a plurality of vertically arranged panels there being two such panels in the presently described embodiment, an inner panel 32 and an outer panel 34. The two panels are hinged together in folding door relation by means of hinges 36. A knob 38 is provided in the usual manner for opening the door.

Inner panel 32, ie the panel next to jamb 20 is provided with a lower recess 40 opening into its lower inner edge. A lower pivot pin assembly 42 of substantially conventional construction is pressed into the recess. The pivot pin 44 of the assembly is mounted adjustably in a vertical plane by means of a nut-operated threaded section 46.

The inner door panel 32 also is provided with a recess 48 in its upper inner edge. An upper pivot pin assembly indicated at 50 is pressed into this recess. It is of substantially conventional construction and includes a spring pressed pivot pin 52, the outer end of which is provided with an annular bearing plate 54.

The upper outer edge of outer door panel 34 is provided with a recess 56 into which is pressed a traveling mounting unit which also is of known construction. It comprises a stepped case 58 pressed into recess 56 and receiving for slidable longitudinal movement a springpressed plunger 60 which is freely rotatable and which mounts a wheel-shaped head 62. The latter is received in channel-shaped track 26 and slides therein in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11, guiding the door panels as they are opened and closed.

Pivot pins -44, 52 carried by the inner panel are substantially aligned and extend outwardly in diametrically opposite directions into stationary mounting units having socket means in which they are received, It is these two units which are of primary interest in connection with the present invention, and whose construction and mode of operation is described below.

The stationary lower mounting unit The stationary lower mounting units is indicated generally at 70. It is illustrated particularly in FIGS. 2-7 inclusive.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower stationary mounting unit includes a guideway 72 mounted longitudinally beneath the lower inner corner of inner door panel 32, in the plane of the panel. It is fastened to floor 24 by suitable means, such as adhesive strip 74 and stop screw 76. The upper longitudinal edges of the guideway bear inwardly directed flanges 78. The outer end of the guideway is provided with a slotted partition 80.

A support block 82 slidably is mounted in guideway 72. Its upper outside edges are provided vith grooves which slidably receive inwardly directed guideway flanges 78. Its upper surface is provided with a socket 84 dimensinned to receive the end of pivot pin 44.

It is to be noted that socket S4 is relatively shallow with respect to the pivot pin. This insures that the end face of the pivot pin will bear directly against the socket bottom, a desirable feature since it has been discovered that such an arrangement decreases wear and makes the pivotal action more positive.

A shallow, inwardly-tapered guiding recess 86 communicates with socket 84. This guides pivot pin 44 in the direction of the socket and makes easier the location of the pivot pin in the socket during installation of the door.

The position of support block 82, and hence of the lower inner edge of the door which it mounts, is adjusted by means of an adjustment screw 90 threaded longitudinally into the outer end of the support block.

Screw 90 is provided with a stem 92 terminating in a flange 94 and a spaced head 96. The space between flange 94 and head 96 forms a bearing recess dimensioned to receive the walls of slotted partition 86 in which the stem of the screw works.

An adjustment slot 98 is provided in the face of head 96. This is dimensioned to receive a screw driver, by means of which the screw may be adjusted.

The pitch of the threads on screw 90 purposely is shallow, so that the screw will not work in the support block, changing the setting with the passage of time and with operation of the door. This eliminates the necessity of providing a set screw or other means for anchoring the adjustment screw in place.

One or more spacing arms 100, 102 project inwardly from the inner end of support block 82. These have for their function spacing the support block a predetermined and proper distance from door jamb 20, insuring proper clearance of the inner edge of door panel 32 as it pivots about pivot pin 44.

The arms also serve the function of locating properly two of the stationary lower mounting units 70 back to back in a tandem application across a large doorway, as illustrated in FIG. 1. For such application the arms are provided with opposite top and bottom notches 104, 106 respectively. The arms thus overlap in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 when the mounting units are placed in tandem relation to each other. Notching the two arms oppositely makes a single mounting unit universal in its application, since it has no left or right.

When the spacing arms are overlapped, support blocks 82 on both are in precisely the optimum position for pivoting of the respective door assemblies. When the doors are closed, the adjacent edges of each pair are properly spaced for good appearance. When the doors are opened, sufficient clearance is afforded to insure that they will not interfere with each other, but will operate smoothly and efficiently.

A flange 107 extends upwardly from guideway 72. It serves two functions. First it abuts jamb 2t} and provides supplemental means for anchoring the mounting unit in place, through the agency of screws 108. Secondly, it serves as an abutment surface when two of the units are used in tandem, back to back as shown particularly in FIG. 2. In the latter application, the upper ends of the flanges may be parted along line 109 to eliminate a projection which normally would separate the two abutting door panels, causing an unsightly gap.

Stationary upper mounting unit The stationary unit for mounting the upper end of inner panel 32 is indicated generally at 110 and illustrated particularly in FIGS. 8-10 inclusive.

The stationary upper mounting unit includes a base 112 dimensioned to be received within channelshaped guideway 26.

Base 112 is provided with a screw hole 116 and with a socket 120 which is dimensioned to receive the outer end of spring-pressed pivot pin 52. A shallow depression 124 on the outer face of the base communicates with socket 120. It assists in guiding pivot pin 52 into the socket, with flange 54 on the pin in bearing engagement with the face of the base.

Socket 120 has a pronounced fiare in the inward direction. This makes it easier to enter the end of the pivot pin into the socket initially when the door is being installed, since it eliminates the necessity of precise alignment.

Clamp means are provided for clamping the mount ing unit on track 26 in any desired position of longitudinal adjustment.

To this end there is provided a clamp member 130 which seats in a recess 132 in the upper face of base 112. The clamp member is provided with a flange 134 which overlies ribs 28 on the track. A screw 136 penetrates base 112 and is threaded into clamp member 130.

Accordingly, with screw 1.36 released, the upper mounting unit may be moved along track 26 to the desired position of adjustment. It then may be clamped in place by tightening down on screw 136. This accomplishes a releasable locking which permits readjustment of the unit from time to time if required. However, if more permanent locking is desired, a screw may be inserted through opening 116 in the base and into the head piece.

Operation The manner of installation and operation of the doors are as follows:

First a line is drawn along the head piece to mark the desired track position. The track adhesively is secured along the line. The lower stationary mounting unit is positioned on the floor directly under the track with flange 107 pressed against the jamb. It is secured in place by means of adhesive strip 74 and stop screw 76.

Next, the door is hung by holding its outside edges, locating the socket in the upper stationary mounting unit, and inserting the pivot pin into it. The door then is pressed upwardly, depressing upper pivot pin 52. Lower pivot pin 44 is set in socket 84 in the lower mounting unit. All of this is accomplished without the insertion of wheel 62 into the track.

Next the mounting units are adjusted to square the door in the frame. The elevation of the door is adjusted by turning pivot pin 44 using a suitable wrench. The angular position of the lower edge of the door with reference to the jamb is adjusted by turning screw with a screw driver. Arms 100, 162 abutting against the jamb, normally position the door for proper clearance as it SWlI'lgS.

The upper mounting unit is adjusted by releasing screw 136 and sliding the unit along track 26 to the desired location. Screw 136 then is advanced, clamping clamp member against track flanges 28.

To complete the operation, wheel 62 of the outer traveling mounting unit is depressed and placed in its FIG. 11 position within track 26.

Where it is desired to span a large doorway with multiple door units, lower mounting units 70 are installed back to back in the doorway in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, in tandem relation. Notched arms 100, 102 then space the doors for proper clearance with each other as they swing in the opening.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a folding door assembly for mounting in a doorway defined by a head piece, a side jamb, and a floor, the assembly including a track fastened longitudinally to the head piece, an inner door panel having diametrically opposite upper and lower pivot pins extending outwardly from its upper and lower inner edges, an outer door panel hinged vertically to the outer edge of the inner door panel in folding relation thereto, a stationary lower mounting unit on the floor adjacent the jamb and pivotally receiving the lower pivot pin, a stationary upper mounting unit on the head piece adjacent the jamb and pivotally receiving the upper pivot pin, and a traveling mounting unit on the upper outer edge of the outer panel, dimensioned for and slidably received in the track, a stationary lower mounting unit comprising:

(a) a guideway extending longitudinally of the unit in the plane of 1.16 inner door panel,

(b) a support block mounted for sliding movement in the guideway,

(c) socket means in the upper surface of the block dimensioned to and receiving the lower pivot pin,

(d) screw means rotatably mounted on the guideway and threaded longitudinally into the block for securing longitudinal adjustment thereof, and

(e) two horizontally spaced spacing arms attached to the block and extending inwardly therefrom parallel to each other and oppositely notched top and bottom for overlapped reception in a companion mounting unit when two mounting units used in conjunction with each other, back to back, the spacing arms having a length predetermined when abutting a door jamb or when overlapped with another mounting unit, to locate the socket means in a working position wherein the inner edge of the inner panel properly clears the door jamb or the adjacent inner door panel during pivotal motion of the panel,

(f) the guidcway being open at its inner end for passage of the arms therethrough selectively for abutment against a door jamb and for overlapping of the notched ends of the arms of a pair of said units.

2. The stationary lower mounting unit of claim 1 including an upstanding flange on the inner end of the guideway adapted to abut a door jamb, the flange having a transverse parting groove adjacent its lower end for facilitating removal of the upper portion thereof normally extending above the lower edge of a door panel when a pair of the units are to be arranged back to back.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,882,962 4/1959 Hollansworth 160-206 X 2,987,756 6/1961 Hollansworth 160-206 X 3,054,447 9/1962 Brydolf 160-206 3,162,890 12/1964 Brydolt et al. 160--206 X 3,187,800 6/1965 Kirby 160-206 3,251,088 5/1966 Boundy 16--151 3,251,090 5/1966 Fergison 160-206 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Examiner. 

